In the world of rice there is a great divide. On one side is plain rice and on the other side is basmatic rice. Strictly speaking, the name basmati can be applied only to select strains that are grown in select regions of North India and Pakistan since centuries, characterized by a typical aroma and with grains that well to twice the length on cooking. However, these days there is a huge range of rice, some original and most of them hybrids, claiming to be basmati. It is worth knowing about the varieties of basmati grown in various parts of India.

 

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is known for basmati rice varieties such as Ranbir Basmati, Saanwal Basmati, Kasturi, Pusa Basmati 1 and Basmati 370.

 

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal offers basmati rice Himalaya 2, Ranbir Basmati, T-23, Achhoo, Muskan, Chimbal Basmati, Irani Basmati, Pusa Basmati 1 and Basmati 385.

 

Punjab

Punjab is famed for Basmati 386, Pusa Basmati 1, Basmati 370, Punjab Mehak, CSR 30, Pusa basmati 1121, Super Basmati and Punjab Basmati 2.

 

Haryana

Haryana has its share of basmati rice in Taraori Basmati, Haryana Basmati 1, Pusa Basmati 1, Gaurav, Karnal Local, Kasturi, HBC 19 and CSR 30.

 

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, home to Dehradun, can rightly claim to have the finest varieties of basmati such as Dehradoon Basmati that is much sought after, Basmati safeda, Hansraj and Tilak Chandan.

 

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh grows a wide range such as Pusa Sugandha series, Pusa basmati, Ranbir Basmati, Tilak Chandan, Kala Namak, Badshah Pasand, Adamchini, Shakkarchini, Lalmati, Jeeravatti, Bindli, Type 3 and Pusa Basmati 1121.

 

Delhi

Delhi offers Sabarmati, Improved Sabarmati, Pusa Basmati 1, 1401, 1460, 33 and 1460 varieties as well as Maha Sugandha.

 

All these are variants of basmati with long grain and aroma characteristics. Some are hybrids based on the original basmati strain.

 

Hybrids

There are hybrid basmatis that are strictly speaking not eligible to be called basmati because the grains are small, medium or even long but they lack the other chracteristics and these varieties are grown in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, often passed off as genuine basmati. Then there is the small grain basmati in over a dozen varieties, medium grain basmati and long grain basmati grown all over India.

 

However, the finest traditional basmati rice that exemplify the qualities of this name are Dehradoon, Basmati 386, 217-e, Kamal, Taraori, Pusa, Maha Sugandh, Haryana and Kasturi basmati types.

 

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